Fighting erupted again in the southern Syrian city of Sweida on Wednesday after a ceasefire between Syrian government forces and Druze militias broke down. In response, Israel issued a warning that it may intensify its military intervention to protect the Druze minority.
Syria’s Defense Ministry accused armed groups in Sweida of violating the truce, prompting government troops to resume operations in the Druze-majority region. According to the ministry, forces are targeting attackers within Sweida while trying to avoid civilian harm and facilitate the return of displaced residents.
The conflict flared after a December rebellion led by Islamist factions ousted long-time president Bashar Assad, ending Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war. The new Sunni-led government has faced distrust from minority groups, particularly following sectarian violence in March that killed hundreds of Alawite civilians—Assad’s own sect—during clashes with pro-Assad militias.
Tensions in Sweida escalated recently due to a cycle of retaliatory kidnappings and violence between Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze armed factions. Government forces, attempting to restore order, also became entangled in the fighting, with allegations emerging of extrajudicial killings, looting, and destruction of civilian homes by security personnel.
While no updated official casualty figures have been provided since Monday’s announcement of 30 deaths, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports over 250 killed, including children, women, and more than 130 government personnel. At least 21 of those deaths were said to be summary executions.
Israel, citing a need to defend the Druze, has already conducted multiple airstrikes on Syrian government convoys. The Druze, a sect that emerged from Shiite Islam’s Ismaili branch in the 10th century, number around one million globally, with most living in Syria. Significant Druze populations also reside in Lebanon and Israel, including in the Golan Heights—captured by Israel in 1967 and annexed in 1981.
In Israel, the Druze are a well-integrated minority and often serve in the military. In Syria, however, the Druze community is split—some support cooperation with the new leadership, while others demand autonomy.
On Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that Israel would escalate its attacks if Syrian regime forces don’t retreat from the area. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed that sentiment a day earlier, emphasizing Israel’s duty to keep the border area demilitarized and to protect Druze civilians.
Following Assad’s fall, Israel has maintained a hardline position against Syria’s new rulers, aiming to prevent Islamist fighters from gaining a foothold near its borders. Israeli forces have already seized a U.N.-monitored buffer zone in southern Syria and carried out extensive airstrikes across the country.